In material handling, many materials are transported or conveyed along a conveyor line or belt, such as in the coal mining industry or mail or package handling facilities. Given the limited space in such settings, economizing the footprint of a conveyor line is essential, thus, conveyor lines usually are limited to a defined width. Without skirtboards aligned along the sides of the conveyor, material would bound or fall from the conveyor line, which could result in processing inefficiencies and other undesirable consequences, such as blocking ingress and egress of workers or machines. Thus, it is desirable for a conveyor line to include a skirtboard system comprising a plurality of individual skirtboard panels. The skirtboard panels are stationary panels mounted above the conveyor belt, arranged in a laterally adjacent configuration to form a functional channel for the materials transported along the belt. Thus, it is advantageous to have an apparatus or device having the elements and features disclosed herein.
Several products and inventions have been proposed in order to achieve these goals. The art includes many such attempts and improvements. However, the art does not appear to disclose the combination of elements and features disclosed herein, including the novel combination of elements and/or materials disclosed hereinafter. In particular, the art includes several skirtboards that utilize a rubber or synthetic wear-liner. Significantly, rubber wear-liners are subject to quick exhaustion, as the material batters the rubber material repeatedly over the course of transportation. The exhaustion rate is exacerbated by the rubber materials susceptibility to chipping and failure as the materials becomes thinner, especially along the bottom edge of the wear-liner. As such, an improvement to the wear-liners and skirtboards presently available is desirable and useful.
This application presents claims and embodiments that fulfill a need or needs not yet satisfied by the products and inventions previously or presently available, including the example of the art presented above. In particular, the claims and embodiments disclosed herein describe a skirtboard system and skirtboard panels comprising the system that provide an unanticipated and nonobvious combination of features distinguished from the products and inventions preexisting in the art, including combinations of materials used for reinforcing the wear-liner of the skirtboard, extending the useful life of the skirtboard and minimizing down-time for replacement or repair. A beveled nose is incorporated into each skirtboard, thereby sealing the surface at the belt interface, inhibiting or preventing the escape of dust and smaller particles into the area around the conveyor, and further inhibiting or preventing spillage of materials. Although not exhaustive, controlling, reducing and minimizing spillage of materials (i) reduces the loss of material production during transport, (ii) reduces the build-up of material on the conveyor structure and its attendant components, thereby reducing the likelihood of damage or early fatigue or exhaustion of the conveyor or components; (iii) improves safety by reducing obstructions in the walkways and improving access to the conveyor; and (iv) improves the environment in and around the conveyor, and especially inhibits the build-up of material on the ground below the conveyor. The claims and embodiments disclosed herein reduce the spillage of materials, and therefore, achieve some or all of the aforementioned results. The applicant is unaware of any product, disclosure or reference that disclose the features of the claims and embodiments disclosed herein, and as more dully described below.